Spice Chamber - Simple and delicious dry keema curry style in Kyoto

Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

Cosy shop tucked near Shijo Station and very near our hotel for Kyoto, known for their dry keema curry rice, and they only serve this one dish, so you know it’s going be of some standards!

**Close up on the meat and cheese**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

**Pickled vegetables**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

Curry Rice Medium + Cheese + Yogurt (¥950 + ¥150 + ¥250)

When you first enter the shop, you can see about 7 counter seats, and another room which has 2 tables for 2 seats, so that’s roughly a max of 11 diners at one time.

Presentation: Comes in a simple but interesting presentation; half of the rice covered with the keema curry and an ume (plum) right in the middle.

Taste: I believe there’s quite a varieties of herbs and spices to bring out the flavours, I definitely can see onions, red and green chilies.

This is not the typical Japanese curry which leans more towards to sweet and rather mild spice, but a keema curry with a bit of kick, like how we Singaporean (and Vietnamese) like it! Probably not for the faint hearted, as we do enjoy quite a bit of spice.

Cheese add-on: But with the add-on of cheese, it does have a nice balance of creamy cheesiness and bridge the contrasting taste of cheese, spice, and meatiness. A perfect combination with this keema curry!

Yogurt add-on: For those who really needs to further lower down the spice, do order the yogurt (with vegetables) to eat with it. For us, we don’t really need it (to lower the spice), but as a food reviewers, we attempt to try as much so we can experience and let you all know.

In our opinion, the best combo to order is Curry Rice Small + Cheese, as we trying to cut down on carbs and amount, cause need to try and experience as many different food and restaurants in Japan!.

Overall: Really great dish, it is simple but it is delicious, I mean delicious is the main point.

Rating: 3.75/5

PS: The staff and the master are very friendly, and do speak quite a bit of English (definitely enough to have a conversation going). We did have quite a bit of chat on the 2 visits we went, 2 days in a row by the way!

Maybe on our upcoming March/April 2023 Japan trip, hope they will still remember us if we do drop by again, since we have booked the same Kyoto hotel this time too.

**Curry Rice Small + Cheese**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

Curry Rice Small + Cheese (¥950 + ¥150)

Exact same dish, just smaller portion, and without the yogurt add-on.

Just to include to show the size difference.

Rating: 3.75/5

**CD and posters on the wall and shelves**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

Menu Prices

Mainly just need to focus on the left hand corner for the main food dishes, the rest (drinks) you guys can use google translate camera to roughly get the idea.

Curry Rice:
Large - ¥1300
Medium - ¥1100
Small - ¥950

Toppings:
Cheese - ¥150
Yogurt - ¥250
Extra Pickles Vegetables - ¥100

**Stickers and badges**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

**More posters in the other dining area**
Spice Chamber スパイスチャンバー

Random Thoughts

Based on the decor, I would have thought the shop will be playing rock/metal music in the background, but for the 2 visits I when there isn’t.

Maybe the upcoming trip, I could hear it haha! \m/

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